Islamabad: Pakistan’s Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the main federal capital hospital that treats coronavirus patients, is itself in crisis because 91 hospital staff members – including doctors, nurses, paramedics and general workers – have been diagnosed with Covid-19. in the past few days created an alarming situation.

The majority of those who test positive do not deal directly with patients suffering from coronavirus.

Our staff on the coronavirus ward are safe because they are truly protected. Those infected are from the general area [wards]. So, maybe, they catch the virus through their social activities or through other means. We will look at all aspects.

– Dr. Minhajus Siraj, joint executive director at PIMS

When talking with Gulf News on Tuesday, the joint executive director at PIMS, Dr. Minhajus Siraj, acknowledged that PIMS employees were increasingly diagnosed with the virus and the situation was quite alarming. The Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Health, Dr. Zafar Mirza, has ordered an investigation to fix the gap.

Catch the virus

“Something is wrong somewhere and we will know exactly where on Wednesday morning,” he said. “We have checked the PPE inventory [personal protective equipment] and [adopting] Appropriate security measures, “said Dr. Siraj, added:” Our staff on the coronavirus ward are safe because they are truly protected. Those infected are from the general area [wards]. So, maybe, they catch the virus through their social activities or through other means. We will see all aspects, “he believes.

Sakina Samo

Islamabad registers an average of 100 cases of coronavirus every day, with the PIMS emergency ward turning into a kind of center for increased infections. This has raised serious questions about the application of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in hospitals.

Pakistan on Tuesday reported 76,400 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,621 deaths. On Monday, the figures were 72,460 and 1,543, registering an increase of 4,000 new cases and 78 deaths within 24 hours.

Rubina Ashraf

150,000 can be infected by the end of July

Ali Raza, a public health expert who has monitored the situation and examined laboratories in public sector hospitals in the country, said despite the government’s efforts and SOPs, life was still affected on a large scale in the country. If people continue to violate SOPs, it is feared that by the end of July, there might be 150,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, Raza said.

Abrarul Haq

Veteran artists Rubina Ashraf and Sakina Samo reportedly tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. Both of them have now isolated themselves. Coronavirus symptoms began appearing the day before and they decided to do the test themselves. After their test results became positive, both of them put themselves under quarantine themselves. The authorities have decided to do a test on their family members too.

Meanwhile, Abrarul Haq, Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, popular singer and chair of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, was also tested positive for coronavirus and is currently in quarantine himself.